Android Overtakes iOS in Usage Stats for the First Time Ever

Android has long been king when it comes to mobile market share, but despite a significantly larger install base, its usage statistics have always been below those of iOS. That’s no longer the case anymore, however, because Android usage just surpassed iOS usage for the first time ever.

The latest data from Net Applications show that smartphones and tablets powered by Android were used more than iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches powered by iOS this July. While iOS usage dipped from 45.61% in June to 44.19%, Android’s increased from 43.75% to 44.62%.

The gap between the two platforms is smaller than ever as far as usage is concerned, but with Android continuing to crush rival platforms in shipment volume, its overtaking of iOS has seemed inevitable for some time.

It now seems unlikely that iOS will take back the top spot any time soon, though Apple is expected to attract new users to its platform with larger iPhones later this year. In addition to launching a 4.7-inch device in October, an even bigger model with a 5.5-inch display is rumored to follow.

Net Applications also looks at Windows Phone usage, which increased from 1.99% in June to 2.49% in July. The BlackBerry platform, on the other hand, still isn’t big enough to be counted.